Faucet strainer



Aug. 17, 1943. o. w. HOLDEN FAUCET STRAINER Filed Feb. 15, 1941 INVENTOR. /Zff W50/deu fm f AITT J@ Patented Aug. 17', 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FAUCET STRAINER O rlol W. Holden, Chicago, Ill.

Application February 15, 1941, Serial No. 379,002

` (o1. 29e-145i' Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in faucet strainers and more particularly to the type of strainer that permits a user a choice from the faucet of a spray or the ordinary flow.

Sprays of this type heretofore known and used are generally made from molded rubber having a cylindrical portion to be fitted over a faucet, and an annular spray disc intercepting the flow of water from the faucet, the disc having a central aperture adapted to be closed by a valve member or door to deiiect the stream to therspray portion or to permit free iiow of the stream through the aperture.

In these strainers it has been necessary to have the annular spray disc portion with a radial width at least equivalent to the diameter of the central aperture so that the valve door may be received at one side or the other of the aperture. The result is that faucet strainers have been of relatively large size, interfering with the use of the faucet in such occupations as dish washing and maytend to cause breakage of dishes, or injury to the hands in knocking thereagainst. Y

It is customary to use fiat spray discs with the valve member sliding across the disc into open and closed position relative to the central aperture. When closed for spray purposes a portion of the valve member extends across the spray disc closing or obstructing some of the openings and preventing a smooth even spray flow through the area of the spray disc.

One object of the present invention is to provide a new faucet strainer that is economical to manufacture, is smaller than the usual strainer of this type and yet will give at least an equivalent or greater area of spray.

Another object is to provide a faucet strainer having a saving of material, and that is compact.

Another object is to provide a faucet strainer that, though more compact, will provide a wider more even spray than those heretofore known.

A further object is to provide a faucet strainer with an improved valve member that permits the use of a more compact structure throughout.

Various other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art from an understanding of the invention as set forth hereinafter wherein one embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawing and described for purposes of exemplification.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a View in section through the faucet strainer showing it in place on a faucet;

Fig. 2 is a view in section similar to Fig.- 1 show'- ing the molded rubber housing with the strainer, spray and valve members removed;

Fig. 3 is a view of the faucet strainer from the bottom of Fig. l;

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are views taken on and 6 of Fig. 1, respectively; and

Fig. 'I is a fragmentary illustration showing in detail and in closed-position only, the opening closure structure of Fig. 4.

The present invention embodies a rubber housing so molded as to provide a gripping portion for a faucet outlet and proper' seating facilities for various accessories useful in carrying out the objects of the present invention. The usual strainer for separating out foreign matter from the stream of liquid may be incorporated therein.A A combination spray and free stream flow member is pro-vided within the housing to intercept the stream flow from the faucet and is operated by a multipart swinging valve member permitting the-use of a smaller spray member than has been used heretofore and a consequently smaller housing. The spray member conveniently may be annular in shape with a central free flowV opening in axial alignment with the stream of lines 4, 5

liquid from the faucet. The radial width of the annular spray member may be substantially less than the free iiow opening as it need be only suiiiciently wide to receive and accommodate onehalf of the double valve door member. Means are provided to space the valve member from the spray disc portion which may be channelled to provide an open annular spray chamber and may be angularly positioned to increase the width of the spray stream.

With reference toV Figs. 1 and 2 it will be seen that a hollow housing l is provided of molded rubber having an outer substantially cylindrical body portion i2 provided with reinforcing ribs 14. The body portion may be turned inwardly at its top to form a re-entrant neck member i6 for gripping the outlet of a faucet I8,

At its lower portion the housing may be belled outwardly slightly as at 'iii and turned upwardly and inwardly to provide a flexible resilient seating flange or lip member Z2 to yieldingly support a spray disc and valve arrangement between the lip 22 and the curved portion of a domed wall 24.

Within the housing below the neck'portion I6 a seat may be provided for a strainer 2S and a downwardly sloping annular baffle member 23 may be positionedV therebeneath to direct water spread by the strainerback to a normally sized iiowsuch as may be customarily received from the faucet le. The neck portion i5 may be reinforced by spaced web members 3d.

Seated within a lower chamber formed by the domed wall 2d and resiliently positioned and centered by the lip portion 22 is 'a stream flow controlling member generally designated as 32. This member includes an annular spray disc portion 34 arranged in a downwardly curved formation and having a centrally disposed free ilow stream opening 35. While the spray portion may be considered curved as described, it may also be in the nature of an inverted truncated cone having an imaginary apex at substantially the axis of the opening 3S. The spray portion has a plurality of small liquid passing apertures throughout its area causing liquid passing therethrough to be forced outwardly into a spray area substantially larger than the area of the spray portion tseli,`

by reason of the centrally sloping portion At its inner edge around the opening 35 the member t2 is bent upwardly to form an annular collar 38 that guides the stream of water through the opening 35 with less tendency for the stream to splash sidewardly and drip through the spray apertures when a direct stream is desired. This collar also forms a seat or bearing member for the valve doors that open 'and close the opening 35 thereover. At its outer periphery the spray portion is stepped upwardly, and outwardly flanged to form a securing portionY d@ adapted to be gripped between the lip 22 and the domed wall 24 of the housing as Shown in Fig. l. A valve door 42 is rotatably mounted adjacent one end to a stud or rivet on the iiange di) and extends over the spray portion 36 in spaced relation thereto and has a seat on the annular collar 38 as shown in Fig. l. A cooperating Valve door 4S is rotatably mounted to a stud or rivet 43 that may extend upwardly from the spray portion 35' to a height corresponding to the stud li vso that valve kdoor 36 may be mounted in the same plane as the door 42 and extend across the spray por'- tio-n -34 onto the collar E3 that alsoA forms a seat therefor. Y Y h By the use of a plurality of valve doors il and liu", the opem'ng 3S may be closed tightly., baiiing a stream of liquid-to the spray portion To enable a stream of water to pass through the opening 35 without sidelsplash, the width-of the spray portion 3d and its holding flange di] must be such as to per-mit the Valve member to pass kover them to completely clear the opening 36. Where a single door is used, the spray portion and supporting flange must be at least as wide as the opening 3G. The plurality of doors herein shown makes it possible to reduce the width oi the spray portion and flange to approximately onehalf the diameter of the opening 36 with a consequent reduction in the size of the housing l2. There is thus a saving in the material of both the housing l2 and the Vilow controlling member'.

As the valve doors 42 and 46 lare mounted in spaced relation to the spray portion 3Q, Van annular spray chamber or channel 59 is formed between the collar 3E and the stepped portion ofthe A flange i'i. VThe valve doors do not come in ccntact withthe spray apertures and they are ifree and unobstructed throughout the area of the spray portion Sil.

The valve doors /32V and to have interengaging cam members and a handle member for operating one door about its pivot to 'cause 'a cooperating cammed action ofthe'other door for closing and opening the iree iiow passage 35. For instance `as shown the valve 'door 42 has a curved hook portion 52 adjacent the pivot 4:1 and a cam shoulder 54. Valve door i6 has a tooth member 55 interfitting between thehook portion 52 and shoulder Ell. An operating handle 53 is connected to door 135 so that door 43 may be swung from the fullline closed position to the open dotted line position as shown in Fig. 4. On this movement, the tooth 55 engages the shoulder 54 of door 42 and forces it from the full line closed position to the dotted line open position of Fig` 4. In closing, thevtooth E6 bears against the inner face of the hook 52 to vforce the door 42 across the passage 35. The doors may be so designed, as shown, that they will abut each other across the passage 35 to prevent further closure movement.

As a limit in opening the valve doors the controlling member may be of such size that the domed wall 24 will afford a stop member for at least one of the doors while the abutting edges of the doors are still positioned on the collar or seat 3S. Y

-As may be seen best in Figs. 1 and 2, the lip portion 22 is turned up inwardly and is cut back sharply inwardly and downwardly to a junction with the domed wall 24v to form a seat for the flange 4S. Whenthe ange 46 is sprung into its seat, the lip 22 is distorted downwardly out of shape and tends to hold the contro-lling member snugly and yieldingly in place- The upper edge of the annular collar 38 may be rounded to permit the swinging doors to ride over it more easily should one or the other be forced beyond the collar in opening the passage 3'6.

Various modifications of the structure will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. All such modifications Vare intended to be included within the lscope of the appended claims.

I claim: l

l. Inra faucet strainer having a lhollow housing for insertion over afaucet to permit a stream of liquid to pass therethrough, stream flow controlling means positioned in said Yhousing across said stream, said controlling means including an annular spray portion having a free flow passage centrally ythereof Yin axial alignment with said stream, cooperatively cammed swinging valve doors each extending over a .part of `said passage for closing said passage when said doors 'are in closed position, said doors each being pivotally mounted at one end in said controlling means, and an annular valve door seat and stream 'guide extending upwardly from the edge 'of said p'assage into cooperative position with said doors.

2. In a fluid flow device having a hollow body portion, the means mounted on said body portion 'for controlling the how of 'iiui'd therethrough including 'a spray portion having a free flow opening therein, and ciosure means for said'op'ening including a pair Vof 'operatively connected movable members having interconnected 'camm'ed portions, kwith movement 'of 4one 'of said members causing simultaneous movement of both of said members, with 'each Vof said members covering a part of said opening when vin closed position and each 'extending over 'a part 'of said spray portion when in open position, and means supporting said members for said movement to open and closed positions. 'Y v 3. In a liquid flow device having a body portion and spray means with an'opening therein mounted on said body portion, the means or controlling thefiiow of 'liquid through `said 'opening including a pair foi-closure members each having an edge with said edges abutting one another in closed position overl the opening and each member` covering a part of said opening in such closed position, axis means for each of said members on said spray means pivotally mounting said members thereon, each member having a cam portion adjacent its corresponding axis means with said cam portions interconnected, and operating means operatively connected with one of said members to move said members, and with said interconnected cam portions acting to move the other member therewith.

4. In a liquid flow device having a hollow body portion, the means for controlling the flow of liquid out of said body portion including a member having an annular spray portion and an opening centrally thereof, and multi-part means for closing said opening, with each of said parts covering a part of said opening in closed position thereof, interconnecting means for said multi-part means, means for movably mounting said multi-part means on said spray member at said interconnecting means, and operating means operatively connected to one of said multi-part means, and with all of said interconnected multipart means movable upon movement of one of said multi-part means.

5. In a fluid flow device having a hollow body portion, the means for selectively providing a spray-like fluid flow from said body portion and a free fluid flow therefrom including in combination fluid passage means having a restricted flow portion and a non-restricted ow portion, movable multi-part closure means for said non-restricted flow portion having each part covering a portion of said non-restricted now portion in closed position, interconnecting means for said multi-part closure means including cammed portions on at least two of said parts, and a fn move said part and move the cammed portions 

